Impunity
by Lady Lan
Summary: He was a monster. A rehashing of his past confirms that. She was... well, she was something. They were never supposed to be together. But they were and somehow, in the end, that made the rest okay. /warning: lots and lots of anime rehashing/


Impunity  
He was a monster. A rehashing of his past confirms that. She was... well, she was something. They were never supposed to be together. But they were and somehow, in the end, that made the rest okay. /warning: lots and lots of anime rehashing/

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Just a practice piece because I've been struggling with Vegeta's character. I probably shouldn't even post it since it's 95% rehashing the english-dub in drabble form, but I'm a glutton for punishment. We'll see how this goes.

Note: I borrowed several bits from the dub. Some from memory and some by referencing certain episodes. I don't claim ownership for all of the parts that may seem a tad familiar to you, but hopefully it reads fairly seamlessly.

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It's the first time he hears the word: 'Earth'.

It affords an unpleasant feeling. Vegeta has no desire to go there, even at Raditz's request. _Especially_ at Radtiz's request. He doesn't go, be he does follow the events that take place with interest - listening as Raditz fails to defeat weakings a saiyan child was supposed to take care of years ago.

Nappa spits a bit of charred flesh and makes a comment regarding the other saiyan's deficiency.

And, for once, Vegeta is forced to agree with the man. Raditz _was_ a disgrace.

"How could he let himself be beaten by men with such low fighting power?" Vegeta asks mildly. There's a bad taste in his mouth. Crytains weren't very palatable. That or he's suddenly lost his appetite. All thanks to Raditz, the fucking coward. He hates cleaning up after others. He hates others, period.

But it's only for the dragon balls that he decides to head back towards his pod, barking orders at Nappa. Nappa - the stupid fucker - suggests using the wish on Raditz.

Vegeta is sick of them both. He'd be better off on his own. And if he were immortal he wouldn't need either of them. First chance Nappa slows him down, he'll kill him. Then nothing will hold him back.

.

The ragtag group of earthlings defeat the Saibamen and celebrate like they've won the war. Vegeta's jaw clenches. He could face seven Saibamen at a time when he was a boy. But still, he's slightly impressed. The small bald one and the green-skinned man aren't as weak as he thought. Perhaps they had provided Raditz somewhat of a challenge.

Nappa wants a turn to fight, and one by one the weaklings die off. Vegeta frowns. Nappa doesn't even have to work very hard. Two of them sacrifice themselves.

Kakarot isn't there, and Vegeta's bored of this tussle. It's less exciting than watching Guldo spar. He gives Kakarot three hours to show. If Kakarot isn't on time, he'll take matters into his own hands.

.

They have to wait, but eventually Kakarot appears. The saiyan is weak and... soft. Vegeta frowns. Even Radtiz's transmissions hadn't prepared him for how fucking soft Kakarot is. Vegeta wants the saiyan's blood on his knuckles. His fingers itch for the feel of it. He's not sure if he's ever wanted anything more.

But Kakarot's brat gets in the way and Nappa is easily sidetracked.

The bald saiyan looks ridiculous, taking on a half-saiyan child. Another one - the green skinned man, Piccolo, they call him - sacrifices himself. Vegeta hates all of them. He doesn't care how but he's going to make every last one suffer for making him sit through this shit.

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He's laughing at them, all of the earthlings who stand shoulder to shoulder, and though they shake with fear their eyes shine with emotion that's foreign to Vegeta. He doesn't recognize some of them - selflessness and other pointless notions, most likely - but he does discern the single thing that sets them apart from himself. They are so pathetic it's hilarious and if the rest of them are like this - these can't be the only warriors this planet has to offer, surely - he and Nappa are going to demolish every last one_._

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Fuck the dragon balls. He is going to blow this entire planet up, immortality be damned.

The fat one took his tail, and now they are going to pay. All of them.

.

It all happens so fast. Too fast. And he can't comprehend a second of it.

Like a coward he retreats towards his space pod. He was so far above them and he doesn't understand how he got here. Crawling like scum, running from earthlings. He'd laughed at them for being weak and stupid and careless, and now... Now he is the weak one. But he refuses to be stupid and careless. So he runs.

The bald one draws a sword. The very sword that had taken his tail, his pride, his everything. The bald one holds it up and then he... stops. And Krillin lets him go.

Fools. Vegeta lowers himself onto the pod and glares at the planet. _Earth_. He's never coming back here. Stupid shit hole. It's the last thought before he slips out of consciousness, dreaming of nothing.

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Namek.

He frowns, taking in his surroundings. He'd actually prefer Earth. But he can't show his face there, not until he's immortal - so Namek it is.

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This planet is too fucking crowded.

Frieza. Zarbon. Dodoria, Cui. And now he can feel another set of familiar power levels. The bald earling who'd spared his life, Krillin, and the half-breed son of Kakarot, Gohan. There's someone else with them, but his energy is unrecognizable and it's too insignificant to note anyway.

Vegeta's gloved hands tighten, forming a pair of fists. While he hates the company - especially the earthlings - he admits that three good things came from his visit there.

He knows about the dragon balls.

He's able to sense energy.

And he's far stronger than he was when he arrived.

All the rest, he could do without.

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Cui is the first one he kills. Vegeta is faster and stronger than when they last faced, and he makes quick work of him.

It's easy. Too easy. But it's no less satisfying.

Dodoria is next. And the coward attempts to flee when he realizes Vegeta has the upperhand.

Yes, Vegeta knows he too ran when the earthlings had the upperhand, but so-fucking-what? He's going to make Dodoria pay for reminding him of his own defeat.

"You're not going anywhere," he says, flashing a cocksure smirk. The ground cracks beneath his energy and he runs his tongue over a pronounced canine. "You will pay for your part in this, just as Frieza soon will. But I want you to know... I do this not for my planet, not for my race, but because you thought you could make the Prince of Saiyans a slave to your whims!"

And then he kills Dodoria, too.

When Dodoria's dead, the sting of the warrior's words haven't faded. Frieza destroyed his planet. Frieza stripped him of his birthright. And he hates Frieza more than Kakarot, more than the fat bastard who took his tail or Krillin for being too weak to kill him. More than anyone - anything - he's ever hated in all twenty-nine years of his existence.

Zarbon is next. Immortality is at his fingertips, and he's never wanted anything more.

.

He takes a great deal of pleasure stomping the medic's skull in. Waking up in a regen tank had significantly set his plan back. It wasn't anything personal. Appule was annoying, sure, but Vegeta just needed to work out some frustration.

Thankfully he's dealing with a bunch of idiots, and Zarbon and Frieza are far too dense to sniff out an obvious divergence. While the pair of fools attempt to halt his escape, Vegeta collects their dragon balls. Now he needs one more and immortality is his for the taking.

Just as he is formulating a plan on how to attain the final dragon ball, he recognizes a power level closing in on his position.

They're really making this too easy for him.

It happens suddenly. Because these things always happen so, fucking suddenly.

He is going to get the dragon ball from Krillin and the human female - the third power level he'd sensed was a girl and he has no idea what she's doing here yet there she was - and Zarbon showed up. Zarbon with the smooth-voice and the brown nose that got him settled neatly at Frieza's side. Zarbon who was always stayed just a step stronger than Vegeta. Zarbon who turned the noble armor of the saiyan race into... into... into _that_.

And for the first time, Vegeta knows he stands a chance against Zarbon. During their last face off, Zarbon let him live. Just like the earthlings let him live. When were these idiots going to learn to _kill your fucking enemies_? Vegeta won't ever make that mistake.

It isn't long before Zarbon's transformed and soon after is begging - _begging _- Vegeta for his life. The prince releases a sadistic chortle and takes great pleasure forcing his knee into Zarbon's spine. Then his fist slams through Zarbon's stomach and the once mighty warrior is begging once again.

"We could team up," Zarbon manages. It's difficult to talk though, with a fist in your abdomen. "To-together we could defeat Frieza."

Frieza is _his_ to kill. He isn't sharing it with Zarbon. And Zarbon won't turn his back on his lord anyway. Vegeta widens the hole in Zarbon's gut by releasing an energy blast. The poor bastard slumps and meets his death without a whimper. Vegeta has to fight the urge to spit on the fallen man's corpse because he's just that fucking pathetic.

When he glances up, Krillin and the woman are cowering. A smirk tugs at one corner of his mouth.

"Now," he begins, glancing at each in turn. "The three of us have some business to attend to." Mainly, the dragon ball. _His _dragon ball.

The bald one does all the talking. The female can barely breathe she's shaking so hard.

Krillin is stubborn. Idealistic. Stupid. Vegeta has to threaten the female's life before Krillin complies. Earthlings and their sentiments. That's why they're all so weak. Handing the dragon ball over, Krillin knows it's done. They all do. Vegeta has all seven, and once he's immortal no one in the universe will be able to stop him.

Because he's in such a good mood, Vegeta keeps his word and spares their lives. As he's leaving he can hear the woman shouting at Krillin for being a coward. He chuckles to himself. He's in a really, really good mood.

He has all seven dragon balls; he just needs to gather them together and then... What? The details are fuzzy but he's sharp. If the imbecilic earthlings could figure it out, he sure as hell will.

While he managed to stay level headed around Krillin and the female, Gohan - by virtue of being Kakarot's son - pisses him off. He lets the kid live, sure, but not before giving him a pounding. Wipe that stupid mask of innocence off his face. A saiyan child shouldn't be so pure. It wasn't right.

.

Those _stupid, worthless fuckers_.

The dragon ball he hid in the pond was gone. _Gone_. The pieces click into place and Vegeta knows the half-saiyan took it and his blood boils and he screams and takes off in the air with nothing but revenge on his mind.

He should have taken his own advice and killed them. _This_ is why you never let your enemies escape alive. It always comes back to fuck you in the end.

When he makes it to the cave where the earthlings had been staying, they aren't there. He knows, of course, because he can't sense them but he's too pissed to think rationally and so he just start blowing. shit. up. And when there's nothing left to destroy he hunts them down.

Once again the kid has gotten the better of him. Once again he's been played the fool. They'll pay for humiliating the Prince of all Saiyans.

But before he can reach the kid it's Krillin he crosses paths with.

"What do you want Vegeta?" he asks, and though he's visibly shaken no tremor betrays his voice.

"What do I want? Ignorant fool. I want the four-star dragon ball you stole from me." Vegeta's jaw tightens. "I know you have it."

He feels a power level steadily climbing and snaps his attention towards the ki. "Kakarot!" he breathes, but Krillin swallows - adam's apple bobbing - and Vegeta knows it's not.

It's Gohan and he's gotten a little power boost. More than a _little_, but Vegeta doesn't doubt his own chances in the least. He could use the child's help against Frieza but... No. That's his honor alone. He doesn't want - _need_ - any assistance.

While he's formulating a plan about what to do with Gohan, a Namekian comes out of the domed hut and challenges him. As though he hasn't slaughtered enough Namekians for the day... Vegeta frowns, but before he can reply a Namekian youth rushes out - where are they all _coming from?_ he thought between himself and Frieza's men they were all done away with... - and the child warns that there's a powerful force landing on Namek.

It's like a douse of cold water. Relief and excitement and a tiny ripple of fear - which he ignores - all at once. Finally. A rematch with Kakarot and the chance to kill Frieza. He hones in on the approaching power level and all the color drains from his face.

1... 2... 3... 4... _fuck. _There're 5 in total.

His tongue is moving while his mind is still reeling in trepidation; "It has to be. Dammit all. Frieza's called in the Ginyu Force."

Vegeta panics. He demands the dragon ball. He picks up the saiyan kid and shakes him, but no one budges. They all just stare at him and he has to raise his voice and lower his tone and _shouts _but they still don't fucking get it.

"Tell me where it is. Tell me and I promise no harm will come to you or your friends. But if I don't make my wish before they get here, we're all dead."

Krillin demands he put Gohan down, so Vegeta drops the boy.

With the two earthlings and both Namekians watching him warily, Vegeta does his best to stress the power of the Ginyu Force. They're nothing like the group of idiots who faced him on Earth. They're all strong - stronger than he, but it leaves an acidic taste in his mouth admitting _that _aloud.

Krillin suggests using the wish on Gohan. But it's Vegeta who has the experience and the know-how and like hell he's letting the child beat Frieza. That's _his_ birthright.

The Namekians say there are three wishes. He thought the Earthlings knew everything about the dragon balls, but they wear matching expressions of shock and apparently they aren't in the know like they'd put on. _Fine_. Let them have the other two wishes. Let them waste them on bringing back their fallen friends who were too weak to fight Saiblemen and Nappa. He doesn't care. He doesn't give a shit about anything outside being the most powerful in the universe. Stronger than Kakarot. Stronger than Frieza.

Krillin balks; just as he hesitated killing him with the sword on Earth. But in that hesitation Vegeta feels everything slipping from his grasp. He's turned his back on Frieza and this is his only chance.

Gohan and Krillin exchange a look and Krillin gives a reluctant not.

And so - grudgingly - he and Krillin and Gohan are a team.

In all his years he's never been on a squad as strange as this, which is certainly something considering his old companions. There's something about these earthlings. Something off and he doesn't have the time or energy to place what, exactly, it is. Mostly because it doesn't matter.

The female has the dragon ball tied to her ankle. They take it and go, and she's shouting at them. Again. But no one listens to her.

For a moment Vegeta wonders why she's there. Surely they hadn't counted on her to guard the dragon ball when she has no ki to speak of.

It's absurd.

Quickly the trio reunite the dragon balls, and all seven are sitting neatly arranged and it's so fucking close Vegeta can taste it. However, Krillin hesitates and Vegeta's going to rip his head off.

Then Guldo shows up and Vegeta blasts _his_ head off instead. The decapitated head stares up with three roving eyes and insults him, and Vegeta stretches out one hand and releases an energy blast. When the smoke clears there's nothing where the talking skull had once been. Only blissful silence. Vegeta allows a rare smile, but it fades the moment he turns and finds Recoome eyeing him.

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He needs the earthlings' help for Recoome. Which is so fucking pathetic it makes the blood pound in his skull. He can feel it pulsing and it's distracting.

But still, even all three working together are no match for Recoome and Vegeta nearly turns on his 'allies' for not making the wish when they had the chance.

Just when all hope seems lost, Kakarot lands on planet Namek.

Krillin and Gohan's spirits rise and they cheer - fucking _cheer_ - because _of course _it'll all be won now. They're naive and believe, honestly believe, that they'll win because they're the good guys and how could they not?

Vegeta almost wants Recoome to pound Kakarot's skull in just to teach them all a lesson. But preserving his own life is more important than teaching earthlings anything, so he taps down the desire and puts on a good face. Well, as good as he can manage. He's still fairly furious with this whole thing and he doesn't much like any of them.

Kakarot and the rest of the idiot earthlings don't just leave him alive, they have the gumption to give him a second fucking chance. He's back to hating them. Not back. He's never _stopped_ hating them. He's just remembering how much he loathes them.

But he takes the bean that reinstates his health. It's amazing how quickly it restores his strength, erases his wounds. What he wouldn't give to carry around a bag of these at all times... It's like a trip to the regen tank in breathmint form and he stares at his perfectly healed forearm in awe.

Kakarot likes rubbing salt in Vegeta's wounds and makes quick work of Recoome. He makes the whole Ginyu Force look pathetic and Vegeta wants to... to... Not cry, surely, but it's so fucking frustrating. _How_? When they last faced, it took every last earthling to defeat Vegeta. But Vegeta has been beaten within an inch of his life over and over again, and was far stronger to show for it. How was Kakarot now suddenly so much stronger, too?

But the fool Kakarot proves once again why he's the lesser saiyan and lets Burter and Jeice flee with their lives. Not allowing _that_, Vegeta kills them himself.

Destroying a fallen Recoome with an energy wave brings a smirk to his features, but nothing is as satisfying as cracking Burter's neck, silencing the chatty fucker forever.

Then Kakarot has the nerve to lecture him about death and being a nice person or some sort of shit. Kakarot's an idiot and Vegeta's not sure why he bothers wasting his breath, explaining how he was doing them all a favor. Not killing your enemies only puts you at future risk. Tender-hearted idiots. Even still, Kakarot presses on, saying that Vegeta should at least try to be a bit nicer.

And with all their talk, Jeice gets away.

.

Kakarot sends Gohan and Krillin off. Something about a dragon radar. Vegeta frowns, remembering the supposed watch Gohan had been holding. Even then, immortality was just one sure beating away.

When they're gone and it's just he and Kakarot, Vegeta tosses his head back and laughs.

"Best of luck, Kakarot." But there isn't any munificence in his tone. Blasting off, he leaves Kakarot to face Ginyu and Jeice alone.

That'll show those earthlings - whose hearts burst with things like trust and good intentions - that he's fucking evil and he doesn't rely on any of them. Just like they shouldn't delude themselves into thinking they were right to give him a second chance. _No one _deserves a second chance. And Kakarot's a fool for thinking otherwise.

Krillin and Gohan are dimwits and they actually believe it's Kakarot talking to them. Kakarot, wearing a scouter and hanging around Jeice.

Vegeta's keen gaze switches from Gohan to Kakarot, his jaw tightens and he knows that _thing _isn't Kakarot. But he has to spell it out for everyone.

The earthlings take on Ginyu in Kakarot's body while Vegeta handles Jeice.

When Jeice is out of the way, he turns towards the three figures fighting in the distance. He smirks, honing in on his next victim.

He's now single-handedly taken out four-fifths of Frieza's most elite force along with Cui, Dodoria and Zarbon.

Fuckers.

They never stood a chance.

.

He hates Kakarot and Ginyu - so he takes a great deal of pleasure smashing them both simultaneously.

At one point Ginyu tries to take Vegeta's body. It's Kakarot who thwarts things and Ginyu winds up a frog.

Vegeta considers killing him while he's down, but the alternative is too tempting. The powerful Ginyu, trapped in the body of a reptile. It brings him immense pleasure.

Kakarot is hurt. Bleeding, gasping for breath in the body Vegeta _finally_ managed to pound into the ground. It isn't as satisfying though, because Kakarot didn't feel any of the pain and he didn't have to live through the first-hand proof of how much stronger Vegeta is. Which is kind of the point.

"We'll put him in a tank," Vegeta commands, and Krillin and Gohan watch him with wide-eyed expressions. They follow him because he's their leader now, and though Vegeta doesn't know how - or why - in that moment he is. He hates himself for it but he knows, later, he'll be able to trace this back as the start to everything being different.

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"I'm only letting you live because I need your assistance against Frieza," he says to the unconscious man in the tank. Kakarot's healing rapidly, but isn't it satisfying that Vegeta did such a number on him that he needs a while longer to wake up?

He sits against the wall and glares at the saiyan skewed by the blue healing liquid. Fucking Kakarot. His jaw clenches. For a moment all he can do is feel his blood heat with rage, but when it settles he can feel his body slipping into exhaustion. When was the last time he slept? He isn't sure. His eyes slide closed, and the world fades to black.

Time passes and he's not sure how long he was out - a minute, an hour? - but the sky is black and a scream tears from his throat. Without casting Kakarot a second glance, Vegeta races down the hallway and outside.

If those stupid fuckers wasted one fucking wish on one of those weaklings he was going to... to... to get creative. That was the best he could do, but his blood was using his veins as a tollgate and everything was pounding incessantly and he shook with a fury like he'd never felt.

Okay. He _might _have been pissed like this once or twice before. He had a track record of getting worked up.

Once outside he demands the Namekian child to wish him immortal. Everyone's gaping at him - their _oh shit _expressions piss him off even more. _How did you _think_ I'd react_? he wants to scream, but he's too busy bossing the Namekian around to say anything.

The Namekian nods his tiny head and starts to jabber in a language Vegeta doesn't understand when all the balls drop like stones to the ground, and Vegeta stretches his arms out and stares at one gloved palm and doesn't feel any different.

.

Frieza's there and Vegeta's never been more certain of his own death.

He turns towards the ship where Kakarot's healing and he hates himself for it, but he hopes Kakarot wakes up soon because he's too fucking weak on his own and maybe he deserves to die because he isn't strong enough anyway. He was going to rely on wishes and magical dragons to get his revenge instead of dedication and training; it was a disgrace.

Thankfully he won't have to live very long with his regrets.

Piccolo is a worthless waste of a wish, but at least the Namekian has the balls to stand up to Frieza and save the young saiyan's life.

Vegeta tries to remember what it was like to kill Nappa - his only companion left - but he can't and he's not sure why but his chest aches a little.

Frieza is too strong for all of them put together. It's over.

Maybe if he was immortal or a super saiyan or... but he isn't and he'll die a coward because of it. Unless...

Unless he _isn't_ a coward. He's still going to fucking die - no doubt about _that_ - but he doesn't have to go out without a fight.

He demands that Krillin beat him within an inch of his life and then makes the Namekian child heal him. Gohan, Krillin and Piccolo - who is exponentially stronger than he was on Earth, too - battle Frieza together, but they're outmatched despite their resilience. Vegeta watches as Frieza fires a blast of energy that the young half-saiyan doesn't stand a chance against.

And for some reason Vegeta lets out an enraged shout and jumps in to save Gohan because he's just a kid and he's one of the only saiyans left and, somehow, they're now on the same side and fighting the same fight and it just isn't fucking right not to.

No matter how furiously he attacks, the bastard Frieza wards off his blasts with a flick of his wrists, neutralizes his blows with speed that's just out of his reach.

Frieza's disliked the prince for a while now, and he takes his time beating the everliving shit out of him. With all the strength he can muster, Vegeta reaches out to ward off the next attack, but Frieza prevails and wraps his tail around his neck. The muscles constrain and convulse and Vegeta has to struggle for breath.

It isn't a terrible feeling, and Vegeta stares impassively at Frieza's cold smile. Vegeta doesn't know how many times he's choked someone to death but it's a fairly large number, he's sure. He tries to think of their faces, but he comes up blank. Not one fucking face can he picture in slew of executions he's overseen. It should make him feel good, detached, but it doesn't.

He struggles against the chokehold of the bastard's tail and coughs up a cup or so of bloody phlegm. It splatters across Frieza's face and it's a satisfying feeling Vegeta gets from seeing this. The animal only licks it clean with a warped mask of pleasure.

Then Vegeta's turned and forced to look out on the lifeless planet, where only a splattering of badly-beaten earthlings lay. He'd come here for eternal life and now he was facing death. Frieza alternates pounding his knee and into Vegeta's spine. Again and again. Over and over.

But Vegeta can take a little physical pain. That part's nothing. It's all the thinking he's doing, with Frieza prolonging his death, about how he's failed and how he's weak and how... Well, the thinking's the crap part.

And then he's tossed to the ground and covered in rubble and all he can do is groan.

"Goodnight, prince." Frieza's voice is cold and laced with a sick-spirited glee. Vegeta makes a fist and stirs some of the dirt. He's so pathetic but he doesn't even care, because it's all over anyway. For him, anyway, and none of the rest of it matters.

Kakarot's annoying voice cuts through the silence, like a mallet to the eardrum and Vegeta doesn't even have the strength to frown. So he just lays there and allows Kakarot to say,

"Whatever problems you have with Vegeta, you can take them up with me now."

And even _he_ wants to pound Kakarot's face in. Of all the shitty cards he could have been dealt, this is the worst of it - Kakarot is his ally. Vegeta rolls his head to one side and cocks open an eye. He's dead anyway, and maybe this is how Frieza will go out - from the hands of the saiyan race he feared so.

"Hey Kakarot," Vegeta manages through the swelling of his lips and tongue, "you made it."

Though Vegeta can barely watch the fight, he finds himself rooting for Kakarot. He lends a humorous laugh to the situation, and at Frieza when Kakarot gains the upper hand. He even pays Kakarot a compliment or two.

It doesn't matter, Vegeta thinks, because he's going to die anyway. And because he refuses to die without a whimper, he projects his gravely voice and shouts, "Frieza, you fool, you don't get it. He's a super saiyan."

Those words are his undoing, and Frieza lets out a thin blast of energy and shoots him through the chest.

Kakarot has the fucking gall to defend his honor. As though he had any left...

"Kakarot, listen. Don't be so soft," he demands. Even inches from his grave he's not backing down. These idiots need to learn. "There's no fucking honor in any of this. You're going to have to get over your soft-heartedness." But the idiot refuses. He's too weak. Too soft. He wants to afford his enemies a second chance and it's the stupidest thing Vegeta's ever heard.

"Save your strength, Vegeta."

"He killed our home planet. It was him. Your father - and mine - the whole planet. He killed everyone."

Kakarot tells him to stop talking, but this is his last breath and he'll do whatever the fuck he wants with it. So he tries to convince Kakarot how Frieza feared one day that a super saiyan would rise up. And, yeah, he probably would have been a pretty cruel, sadistic bastard anyway - but he finds himself pleading with Kakarot to keep the tyrant from taking another young boy from his planet and doing the same.

And so this is it. His last moments alive: crying, begging _Kakarot_ of all people to take revenge on Frieza for their people. But he never feels weak lying there, talking to the fellow saiyan, and that's his last thought as his eyes close.

.

So, this is hell. It's crowded and noisy, but still better than Namek.

.

One second he's there and he blinks and his stomach drops and when he opens his eyes there's warm sun hitting his face and blue sky overhead. His hands splay into soft, damp blades of grass. Green grass. Vegeta turns and there's a gaggle of idiots righting their jumbled brains. He recognized them, and tosses back his head and laughs.

Frieza and Kakarot are out of his hair. He's the most powerful warrior left. The stronger fighter in the universe. _Fucking finally_.

And even though he's not immortal - no one can stop him.

His laughter disturbs the congregation of Earthlings and Namekians, and Gohan shouts at him. He tells Vegeta that he's not the strongest - not even close. His father is alive, he says, and his tiny voice never wavers.

Vegeta nods, once. If only Kakarot had half the spine his son does.

One of the Namekians remarks that some of their people are missing, and this brings on another wave of laughter. With a smirk, Vegeta realizes that those he killed aren't there. The dragon balls only wished back those offed by Frieza and his henchmen. And he is not - nor will he ever be again - a henchman.

He remembers hating this planet, but really - it's not so bad. The climate is agreeable, and though the gravity is laughable he's been stranded on worse shit holes.

While he's thinking about how he might not destroy this place, the fat Namekian dies and everyone cries, but then a moment later they're all cheering again. Fucking idiots. Five minutes here and his head is pounding. Now they're chatting about using the dragon balls to wish back Krillin and some other names he doesn't recognize. But judging by the slanted glares he's receiving, he guesses he took some part in their deaths.

Vegeta stops laughing and scowls, wondering when everything changed. He doesn't have any desire to wipe this planet off the map, and now that Frieza's gone there's no reason to wish for immortality.

He stares down at a single gloved palm. It's strange. He has to think way too fucking hard about what he wants now. Strength. Revenge from Kakarot for making him second-best. And... and... Nothing else comes to mind.

The female starts talking and her voice rises above everything else.

"Huh?" She's look around like she's lost something. Or hearing something. "Where? Did somebody shrink you or something?" And even though most of what she's babbling about is ridiculous, he finds he's interested.

He's seen her before, on Namek. She'd been gagging over Zarbon and he'd had more important things on his mind then, but now he can't think of a reason to live and suddenly she commands his attention. Which is ridiculous, because she's talking to herself.

"Goku won! Alright!" she announces, and everyone's cheering and celebrating. Again. Vegeta grinds his teeth and shakes because… because it can't be true... there's no way...

And then, as though it were the most casual thing in the word, she says, "Hold on. There's more. Goku didn't make it off planet Namek. He's dead." Everyone deadpans but she explains that with the dragon balls from Namek, everyone can be wished back now, including Goku and Krillin. And this has everyone in high spirits. Then all the color drains from her face and Gohan tugs at her yellow tunic, asking,

"What's wrong Bulma?"

"King Kai. He said that Goku can't come back. If we wished him back, he would go to the planet Namek. But Namek's gone."

Vegeta laughs. "I told you - didn't I? It looks my prophecy came to pass after all." The he's smirking at the brat. "It was nice of your dad, kid. Getting rid of Frieza for me."

"Jerk! He spared your life twice!"

"He shouldn't have been so weak," Vegeta spits back. Speaking of being weak, he should probably kill the kid, too. Because he's the only person who stands a threat against his own power. But he's also the only other person with saiyan blood left in the universe, so Vegeta just beats him up a little.

It'll do these earthlings some good to remember that he's still a ruthless sort of bastard. And, yeah, maybe he gets carried away with roughing Gohan up, but the kid is so. fucking. weak it's maddening. He needs to stop sniveling like an infant and face the fact that his father's gone.

Shit happens. People lose their fathers and life goes on. Bunch of weaklings.

He's the only one worth a shit around here.

The woman is babbling to Gohan about eggs and nests, saying how Goku and Krillin can't come home. Her voice is grating and Vegeta just wants it to stop.

So he opens his mouth and suggests using the dragon balls to wish Kakarot to Earth's check-in station in the spirit realm, then wishing him alive. They'd be nowhere without him, honestly.

The woman's eyes widen and she grins and thanks him and _'she's impressed'_. Like this is the first fucking time she's noticed there's a brain in his skull. Or maybe she just associates stupidity to brawn, given the examples around her he can't blame her.

Gohan tries to shake his hand and he slaps it away.

If he didn't need Kakarot for the secret to turning super saiyan, he'd level this planet and take a great deal of pleasure doing so.

.

Bulma invites him to stay at her house.

Along with all the Nameks.

A vein below his left eye twitches.

She's ridiculous. Though nothing like the sniveling woman he'd seen on Namek. Suddenly she's loud and forward and... hn. He doesn't have a place to stay anyway.

.

She lives in a fucking palace. He wonders what her station on this planet is, because surely this sort of dwelling isn't commonplace. He can't picture Kakarot maneuvering around anything so sophisticated.

They have to wait one Namekian year for the dragon balls - 130 days on this planet - and he busies himself training and meditating and thinking far too much about Kakarot.

He avoids all the people staying on the compound - Earthling and Namekian alike - because this place is too crowded and everyone grates his nerves. Especially the blonde woman, but at least she has her uses. Food is easy to come by here, and it's quite delectable. Most of the Nameks grow… comfortable around him. And he hates them and himself for it.

He could kill them, he just doesn't. And that thought keeps him up at night.

.

Kakarot's alive - he's been alive this whole fucking time - and he hasn't come back to Earth.

Not that Vegeta blames him. This place is a shit hole. However, that doesn't keep him from being pissed.

So he steals the Breifs' spaceship and takes matters into his own hands.

He learned long ago that if something needed to be done according to his plan, he was going to have to get it done himself. That's what he got working with Raditz and Nappa for so long.

.

Kakarot was out there perfecting his super saiyan form while he was wasting his time with those idiots.

But space is cold and …. not lonely, but it's just him and the universe is a big fucking place, and he isn't even sure where to start.

.

Gharjiant is the first plane the lands on. He doesn't know why. The people are weak and sheltered, and they cower in fear when he steps off his craft.

He doesn't bother waving his arms and explaining how he's not there to purge their planet, or explain how he's not the same cold-hearted murderer he's always been - because it _isn't fucking true_. But he does ask if they've seen Kakarot, and he even bothers to somewhat patiently describe the idiot to them. Timidly they shake their heads and back away. Vegeta grunts and leaves, and it's like the entire species lets out a collective sigh of relief. He considers blasting the planet from space just to teach the universe a lesson, but he doesn't.

.

Fourteen planets later and only a couple slips of his temper - he warned the idiots not to attack, but he did relish fighting something other than stale spaceship air for a change - and he still hasn't found Kakarot.

He's doing pushups when the ship beeps, a red light flashing on the control panel. Vegeta moves towards the colorful array of buttons and glances at the light, alerting him that he's low on fuel.

He could steal another ship, keep looking. No one could hold him back or stop him. But he doesn't want to go anywhere anyway so he sets the coordinates back to Earth.

He'll just have to wait for Kakarot there. He's going to pound his face in for making him go through all this shit.

When he lands, there's a greeting party consisting of Bulma, the scar-faced man that was taken out by a Saibaman - talk about a waste of a wish... - Bulma's idiot mother, and a round, blue ball of talking fur.

"Vegeta - what do you want?"

"I was hoping that Kakarot might have finally returned."

Yamcha's eyes widen. "What? No way. You never found him in space?"

Vegeta shifts into a fighting stance and allows a slow smirk. "Don't remind me. I'm angry enough to hurt somebody and pounding you might just be the therapy i need."

But before he can make good on his threat, Bulma's leading him off to bathe. And because it's been nearly a year since he's had a proper shower, he follows her. And because it's been over a year, he can't help but look at her round ass as he does so.

.

"Hey. You. Vegeta."

He turns around and exhales through his nose. Yamcha is standing there, crossing his arms in an attempt to look threatening.

"Yes?" he asks, arching a single brow and exuding impatience.

Suddenly up close Yamcha doesn't seem as steadfast. But he proves to have some balls and manages, "You might be staying here, but you leave Bulma alone."

Vegeta isn't sure how those two things are connected. He frowns. He hadn't planned on _not_ leaving her alone. She's unpredictable and bitchy. It'd been a headache to deal with her all day.

And she left him _pink_ fucking clothes.

He turns away from Yamcha and glowers as his only response.

Last time he landed a ship on this planet they cowered in fear as he wiped most of their friends off the face of the earth. And now they're joking and laughing at his clothes. He should kill them. He even threatens to.

But he doesn't harm a single one.

.

This is not fucking happening.

For the first time, the dread he'd felt dying on Namek comes crashing back. Even though he's been training hard these last 20 months and he's much stronger. Perhaps this is his chance to face Frieza. It won't be like last time; he's far too strong to fail again.

Frieza's alive and Kakarot's still gone.

How could he ever believed that Kakarot would actually kill someone? These fucking earthlings not finishing their enemies... it made his head ache. It was beyond stupid, and now Kakarot's tenderhearted naivete was coming back to bite everyone in the ass. And of course Kakarot was late to the show.

Yamcha is shouting at Bulma, telling her to leave.

"Do you realize what he'll do to you when he finds you here?" he demands.

The woman crosses her arms and turns up her nose. "Of course I do. He'll come down and he'll blow up the planet, and I want to see him before he does it." He casts her a look and his forehead creases. Vegeta isn't sure if she's brave or stupid. "Besides, I hear he's kind of cute." Stupid. Very, very stupid. But at least she's braver than the idiots surrounding her.

And then the entire group is there - all the earthlings he'd thought had already been done away with - and he'd be better off fighting Frieza on his own. Probably.

.

One second they're all doomed and the next a boy with purple hair swoops in with a fucking sword and _obliterates_ Frieza.

He says he's a super saiyan. There's no fucking way _that's_ possible.

But at least the new kid doesn't leave Frieza alive. So there's that.

.

The idiots stand around discussing soda.

There's no way this new kid is a super saiyan. It isn't possible.

This - this new, strange kid who _keeps_ _looking at him_ - is another obstacle keeping him from his goal of becoming the strongest fighter in the universe. And there's no way he's a super saiyan because he and Kakarot are the only saiyans left.

.

Kakarot shows up and speaks with the newcomer.

After their talk the kid leaves, and the idiots stand in a circle around Kakarot babbling about androids and heart viruses. Vegeta listens, and he doesn't understand how he died in the other timeline because that meant he stuck around. Well, it _won't_ happen this time. The dying, that is. He'll probably stick around, especially now that there's a challenge. Now with Frieza out of his way, he'll need another opponent to test his strength. And with the additional practise there's no way he won't ascend to the legendary.

Three years. Three fucking years. But he's done less with more and he'll show these pathetic excuses for warriors was real hard work and determination looks like.

.

The first day at Capsule Corporation without the Nameks to distract the earthlings is… awkward.

Bulma tramples off somewhere because she can't deal with his attitude. Not before she _glowers _at him in a way that's meant to be intimidating. He watches her until she disappears around the corner.

Her mother dotes on him. She refills his plate and washes his armor. Bulma's father is the real reason he sticks around though. He gives him the ability to train at high gravity - higher than what Kakarot trained in before arriving on Namek.

It helped Kakarot ascend, and so Vegeta spends every waking moment beating himself up both mentally and physically to achieve the same result.

He isn't there yet, but he feels himself getting stronger everyday.

.

With a gasp, his eyes fly open and there's a stench of sterilized medical devices and the constricting feeling of tubes in his veins. He quickly rips the mask off his face and glances frantically around the room.

The fucking gravity room exploded. _Worthless contraption_...

The Briefs must have moved him inside and... tended to him. He should get them to build a healing tank. That, or send Bulma to fetch him some of those restoration beans.

Moving his head to one side, Vegeta sees her, sitting at his bedside, sleeping.

What the fuck is she doing, watching over him? He looks at her for a moment too long before ripping the instruments from his body and fleeing back into the gravity room.

Bulma interrupts his training to shout at him, and it's kind of fun, shouting back at her. He hasn't had much interaction and surely he's going fucking insane because he's considering her decent company.

He just wants to train and he hasn't killed anything in fuck knows how long, and she's the closest thing to reflecting on Kakarot that gets his blood boiling again.

.

They've adopted him.

It's strange, but they move around him and don't push his buttons. They provide him with things and expect nothing in return. He doesn't like them, but he doesn't hate them either. If someone attacked he might even defend them.

Besides, it's not as though he has anything better to do with his time. So he stays and lets the doctor help him get stronger and the doctor's wife dote on him like a loyal servant. They're all a bit touched in the head, but even though he knows it's pathetic, they've grown on him anyway.

While he's slipped into a routine with the doctor and Mrs. Briefs, he steers clear of Bulma when at all possible.

Once she made him pancakes, and once she repaired the bots when her father was busy. But for the most part they pass by one another like a pair of magnets - with acknowledgement but never getting too close.

And then one day he enters his room and she's perched on the edge of his bed.

"When you take off your armor tonight, can I have it?" She adds in a polite smile and there's a flash of excitement in her eyes.

Vegeta shifts his weight from one foot to the other, regarding her carefully. Of all the strange requests he'd imagined - and when he'd seen her there he'd drafted more than a few - this wasn't one. "What?"

"Your chestplate is falling apart, your boots are nearly worn through and your gloves are all yellowed," she says, pointing to each area as it's addressed. "Besides, I'm bored out of my mind with Yamcha gone and I need something to do. It's no fun, sitting on my hands doing nothing to help save the world all day. I'm burdened with knowing about the Androids too, you know."

But it didn't explain any of it. Mainly, _why_ she wanted his armor and _what_ she planned on doing with it once it was in her possession. Or why she needed to be _sitting on his bed _to ask him.

"I'll just need it one night and I'll be through by morning. I _am_ a genius." She fluffs her curls and fans her lashes for effect. "I'm going to make you a new set."

"Why?" he can't help but ask.

The haughty expression melts to one of confusions. "Why?" she repeats, testing the word with an innocently timed blink. "Because I want to."

.

His balls hurt. He can't remember the last woman he fucked. It was a shintrian. Or maybe a coranieth. It was years ago, anyway, and he's going to fuck the next woman he sees.

Bulma enters the room and a muscle in the base of his jaw jumps.

_Apart_ from her, of course.

In one hand she balances a cup, and as though she doesn't see him sitting there on the sofa, brooding, she makes herself comfortable at his side. The drink transfers from one hand to the other; apparently it requires a straw _and_ a spoon - not to mention it's pink. He hasn't a clue what she's drinking, but there's a dollop of white cream on top and the woman grins at him and says,

"Mom's made strawberry milkshakes." She shakes the glass for emphasis, her smile never faltering. "I'll bet if you ask nice, she'll make you one."

She likes strawberries more than any of the other local foods. He's tried them and, sure, they're fine but nothing compared to... Bulma swipes some of the whipped topping with her finger, puts the digit in her mouth and with puckered lips pulls it out clean. His mind goes blank. He's sure he looks like a wide-eyed idiot, watching her, but she doesn't seem to notice. She's telling him about how there're chocolate milkshakes, too, but he doesn't want a fucking chocolate milkshake.

His balls are going to explode.

.

They've been here too many times - too many fucking times and this is it.

Sometimes it's a game - Bulma starts with some flirty comment and a wink, and he'll smirk back and go on his way. Sometimes he gets a chance to take her by surprise, and he enjoys leaving her with her mouth hanging open.

Sometimes, late at night after she's spent hours tinkering in her lab repairing the bots he's spent the evening beating to shit, they meet up in the hallway or the kitchen or the living room and exchange a glance or a word. Sometimes they sit in silence and even though it's nothing, he's not alone when he's with her.

Sometimes it's like this and they wind up shouting at one another. They both like it, though. He caught onto that quickly. Her face is red and her chest is heaving, and she's getting even more annoyed because this time he isn't fighting back.

Her blue eyes gleam with question: _why isn't he fucking fighting back_?

But he listens her to her voice and he decides he doesn't want to hear another fucking word from her mouth unless it's his name.

So he stops her by pushing her back against the wall. Her head snaps backwards and smacks the plaster; it takes a few minutes for her to right her jumbled brains. Honestly, he hadn't meant to hurt her, just shut her up, but she's such a weakling and he forgets sometimes. But one would think her hair would soften the blow...

When she's recovered and looks ready to lecture him about his being an asshole, he silences her with a kiss.

She's shocked and he hates that a complimentary word comes to his mind when her eyes widen. They're so... big and blue and he moves his mouth her neck so he doesn't have to look at them anymore.

Whatever surprise she had evaporates quickly, because her fingers are prying his armor away and her tongue's in his mouth. She moves against him and he doesn't know what the fuck he's getting himself into, but he does it anyway.

He fucks her because he wants to, and he takes out his frustration in a way that wasn't quite, exactly, what he'd intended. It helps - in the same way pounding the shit out of her metal bots helps. Temporarily. But it's the same. He'll rest and return to the gravity room the next day, just as sure as he knows he'll want her - want _this_ - again.

The routine is easy. He sleeps too little and trains too much. He eats and fucks Bulma whenever he finds the time, and never quite gets his fill for either.

Sometimes he wakes up and she's disappeared to her worklab, and sometimes he rises before her and frowns down at the woman curled at his side.

She probably wants more from him but he doesn't have more to give. So he gets up and trains and, really, she should be fucking thrilled because he's doing this for her planet.

Okay, really, he's doing it for the challenge, but he's saving her planet and after he's killed the androids and then done away with Kakarot he probably won't even destroy this place. But he will have to steal her spaceship again and he knows that'll piss her off.

It starts with Bulma being bitchier than usual. And then she says she's pregnant, and he can't be a father. He _can't_. He never wanted any of this. He doesn't need any of this. And all of this time he's grown soft - fucking complacent - and Bulma's going to bear him an heir.

.

"Vegeta," she says, sprawled next to him in her bed. And even though he's pissed, he's still fucking her senseless. "I'm going to get fat."

And then she's laughing and looking at him and he doesn't know what she wants him to say, so he stares up at the ceiling.

"I'm not asking anything from you," she continues, softer this time. "I'm more than capable of raising him on my own. But you're his father, so if you want to train him or... teach him things - saiyan things, or whatever - you're welcome to."

Still, he doesn't say anything. He can't put his thoughts to words and he closes his eyes.

"I'm scared. Chichi said delivering a saiyan baby was hell. And I'm so much weaker than she is."

This makes him frown, and he's looking at her and wondering how many times she's shouted at him that she's not weak, and how many times he's seen her stupid, iron-spine in action and knows that, even without a scrap of ki, she isn't.

He wants to tell her that she'll do fine - he opens his fucking mouth to say so - but nothing comes out.

.

Something's wrong with him.

Something _has_ to be wrong with him.

He stares down at the sleeping boy in the crib and he can't smile or frown, because it's all too confusing. It's strange, seeing his own flesh and blood. He's proud. He shouldn't be, but he his. Trunks is strong. Trunks is _his_, and he finds that he doesn't even care that the boy has the woman's complexion and all the posh, coddled surroundings of this planet because he's a prince anyway. And he deserves it. Because this baby is his son.

But more than anything, this was _not _what he'd planned when he'd agreed to stay here and wait out the androids. It's ludicrous, having a baby and not scratching the surface of super saiyan.

He sticks around and trains. Fucks Bulma. Holds his son at arms length and stares at the boy. And then one day he looks around the yard at his temporary dwelling - not his home, nothing on this planet will ever be lasting - and he takes the ship and he leaves.

.

One of the planets is situated outside the main group; smaller than the rest, but its atmosphere iss thick and dark, as if it were coated with a raging storm.

When Vegeta steps from the Chamber, his white boots still unscathed from combat thanks to the woman's latest replications, clouds of gray ash billow around his feet. Glancing into the sky, he smirks at the storm. It was light, but held the promise of never letting up. The gravity here is laughable, probably only ten-times that of Earth's. Training on Kakarot's wretched planet has caused him to laugh off what he had once boasted as being the mark of a warrior planet. It shouldn't be displeasing, of course. If he looks past his pride, a rather difficult feat, true, he knows there's a bit of respect for how far he's come since landing on Earth. But for now, he makes the conscious decision not to.

The storm picks up. Vegeta glances outside one of the small, round windows to watch as the violent squall erupts in a wave of electrics. Silver veins crack the sky, and rain beats against the chamber's metal exterior in a pedaling fury. It seemed more exciting, livelier, out there. And so he powers up the gravity to 450 times that of Earth's and presses on.

.

He blocks a blast, skidding to his left to hurl it back towards one of the bots. He has to contain himself; Bulma isn't around incase he blew a hole in the ship or hammers a bot until it requires repair. If the vessel is destroyed, he's done. He'd have no way off this planet, and no ride home.

Not that he thought of Earth as his _home_. He'd just be stuck here, and he'd much rather be on Earth than he would here.

"Dammit," he growls, controlling one of his more exasperated blasts before he found himself stuck forever on the isolated planet amidst the turbulent gale. Never to face Kakarot again.

After settling the blast back into his palms, the blue energy fizzled until it died, he falls to the ground panting. He glances outside the window again, watching with a steady gaze as the lightning reverberated against the backdrop of boulders in the distance. It raged on - angry, violent, power-hungry. It was as though it were an outward manifestation of the storm that was raging inside of himself. He takes a series of pained, shallow breaths in 450-g's, forcing himself to his feet to continue. He hadn't come out here to be beaten, but to succeed. Victory was the only option, and he'd made it far too long with his pride remained intact to give up now.

.

He's not sure how, but he didn't hear the crashing outside when it first began. When it became too much to ignore, he slows his pace and listens to the noisy thuds in the distance. It was much heavier than rainfall.

When he glances outside the small round window of the ship to find the source of the sound, he curses. Again. Now paired with the electrical storm was a meteor shower. The rocks falling in constant strides, littering the ground of the barren planet. Some of the larger ones left craters, and with yet another curse Vegeta shuts off the gravity and races outside.

Meteors continue to fall, and taking to the air Vegeta extends his palms, shielding the Gravity Chamber, his means of ascension and escape, from their attacks. He swiftly dodges the assault of falling rock, and channeles his energy to furiously blast the meteors that threaten his ship.

Training at high gravity left him exhausted, but his fury to beat Kakarot keeps him alive. It seemed to be the only thing driving his dedication; he _has_ to defeat the weakling, he couldn't die here without having another chance to prove himself.

It was his rage that kept him alert, and alive. His fists move rapidly, pebbles of the remains of meteors scattering the planet as he blasts them.

He had to protect his ship; despite the exhaustion he feels, it was the only way he'd survive. And he _had_ to survive. He'd done nothing but live under another's rule, the very being that had crushed his destiny from beneath his boots. And then he'd watched his race dwindle to a handful until the only ones left were merely saiyan by blood it seemed. The only thing he'd kept through it all was his strength. He was the Saiyan Prince, and yet it had been the fool who'd surpassed him. It was _his _destiny, _his _honor, and Kakarot had stolen it all.

Panting, Vegeta fires at the chunks of falling rock. It isn't until he watches as one meteor, nearly as large as the planet itself, come into view that he feels helpless.

He has to protect the fucking ship.

Growling, he lowers his hands to his right side and gathered his energy. "No," he seethes through his teeth, conjuring up everything he has left in him.

The blinding light of his own blast flares around him, and his eyes close against the impairing glow.

.

He doesn't see the collision, but he feels it.

The power of it shakes his bones and sends him crashing, backwards, into the solid ground of the planet.

As his back collides painfully into the dirt, he thinks of Bulma. Of her haughty smile. Of their child. Of Vegetasei and all that was lost. Of Kakarot, and how the idiot would live on to defeat the androids without requiring any assistance from him.

"Kakarot," he breathes through clinched teeth. He grips the soil beneath him to pull himself up. His gloves are tattered and stained red with his own blood.

And just like that, he gives up.

He doesn't care. Not about a fucking thing. He doesn't care about beating Kakarot, or about becoming a super saiyan, or even if he lives or not. He was going to die, weak and alone, and everything he's been so passionate about doesn't even matter.

And then it happens. The familiar burn in his veins seares his body like never before, and tossing his head back he screams in fury.

He's imagined this moment so many fucking times. He can't control the pain or the anger or the feeling of release. And so he lets it all out.

His hands bunch into tight fists at his sides, and his knees buckle. Shifting his shoulders forward slightly he continues to shout. Vegeta's hands flex open and swing upwards to knit into his hair, digging painfully into his scalp.

"No," he growls, seizing control over the pain, over the power raging inside of him. It's always been there, he's always known it, and after giving up he'd finally understood the key to unlocking it.

He was a super saiyan.

Fucking _finally_.

.

Tossing his head back, he laughs. Getting a feel of the newly attained power, he allows it to flow back inside of him, to the place he'd once been unable to tap, but now assumes control over. The power had been at his fingertips all along, and _finally_ after so much hard work, of pushing himself to near-death and training recklessly, he's fulfilled his destiny.

The swarming, golden energy around him fades, and with it his hair returns to its natural dark state. Lips pressed into an arrogant smirk, Vegeta enters the ship and programs the coordinates back to Earth.

.

The trip to Earth takes far too long. And when he finally makes it back, the idiots have started the fun without him.

He can feel them powering up in the distance, but Kakarot's not there and when he arrives the rest of the warriors are happy to see him.

The androids he's been preparing for don't seem so frightening. And when he fights them he discovers they're just as pathetic as they look. Hn. Certainly no match for a super saiyan. _Stupid piles of scrap_.

"I am the prince of all saiyans once again!" he says with a smirk. Lots of posturing and pounding the heap of metal to the ground later, and he wonders what the big deal is.

He effortlessly demolishes Android 19, and after ripping the robot's hands off, he blasts it with his Big Bang Attack and looks around for his next victim.

It's been far too long since he's had a proper fight. He wonders where Kakarot is, and he cranes his neck to find Piccolo has the other android on the ground. At least the Namekian has the balls to finish the job and _kill_ the fucking android. He doesn't have a lot of respect for these earthlings, but well... technically Piccolo isn't an earthling anyway and -

"Trunks is back!"

And it's like a kick to the gut. _Trunks_. His son. He looks at the boy from the future and he wonders why it's taken so long... His _son_. A super saiyan. And he'd met him, once, even before the boy's birth in this timeline. His son had slaughtered Frieza so effortlessly. His son had avenged their planet. It hadn't been a third-class weakling; it'd been a prince. His son. Trunks.

"How bizarre..."

Bulma shows up and thanks to her foolishness the second android gets away.

His son is giving him an angry look and Vegeta's still having difficulties processing things.

"Why didn't you try to save them, Vegeta?" the version of his son captable of talking demands.

Because he had more important things to worry about than Bulma and her blasted child... And what the _fuck_ was she thinking, showing up at a battlefield in the middle of a fight? He still couldn't figure out if she was brave or idiotic. After all these years, she was probably the person he knew best in the entire universe. And he didn't know a damn thing about her.

But he knew he hadn't intended to let her die just like he hadn't intended for any of this to happen and where the _fuck_ was that second android?

.

Bulma knows who the android is. Of course she does. They never give her enough credit. She's a genius. She's the reason they're all there - thanks to her dragon radar. Thanks to her gravity simulator. Thanks to her spirit. She'd explained, once, how she'd discovered Goku and started the quest for the dragon balls so many years ago.

She's a genius and they don't appreciate her and they certainly don't deserve her. None of them do.

.

Bunch of cowards. They want to destroy the androids before he even gets a chance to fight them. Fat fucking chance. He's waited three years for this, and he's getting a good fight out of it. He didn't train for a challenge only to take the easy way out.

The second set of androids proves to be far worthier opponents.

The female one nearly defeats him. He'll make her pay for making him appear weak. And if they think, for one second, that he's going to stand by while they defeat Kakarot before he gets a chance, they have another thing coming.

Krillin has to pass out senzu beans, and he takes one and feels his power return. The spike of energy in his veins jumps with his fury. He still isn't completely familiar with his new power. It's his destiny, sure, but he's been crammed on a space vessel and hasn't been able to properly practice... When he does, those androids are going to pay.

.

There has to be a level beyond super saiyan. He gazes off the side of the cliff, buried in his own thoughts. He's a member of the universe's most powerful race. This wasn't it, the cap of his strength. He could always get stronger. He could always improve. He had to. It wasn't possible to be this strong and still be too weak. There was a realm beyond this, and he was going to ascend. He had to.

.

"It's hot," his son from the future notes. "There's less air."

Glancing around the sparse dwelling that will serve as his shelter for the next year, he nods, once. Though it boasts none of the amenities of Capsule Corps, all of the essentials were there. He didn't need anything besides a bed and food anyway. Everything else was just a distraction.

They continued past the housing unit. Trunks steps outside first and gasps.

"There's nothing here. We're surrounded by total emptiness."

His son was right. There was... nothing. No distractions for a whole year. Perhaps this planet did have something to offer him afterall. When he steps back outside he'll have the advantage of a years worth of brutal training.

"What kind of place is this?"

Hn. Vegeta scowls at his son. It might have been overwhelming, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. "Too much for you?"

"Of course not. But..." Trunks glances from right to left, dread shadowing his features. "I'm not sure if I can spend a whole year in this place. It's overwhelming."

"It is."

.

This part of the endless expanse of white is blistering hot. He feels it in his skin, tearing at the material of his boots. He remembers, briefly, Bulma explaining all the fibres she crafted that went into making his armor virtually indestructible. But here, the heat is almost too much.

It scalds his flesh, too. White hot flames lick his face, but his energy crackles around him and he pushes on.

The next day, he explores further. Alone. He'd shouted at Trunks that morning to give him some space, and the boy complied.

Out here, it's freezing. The cold wears on his bones and he can't feel... anything. His ki erupts but he can't break the constant chill. It's there, a pain unlike anything he's felt before.

Two days in, and he's already in excruciating pain.

And though it's fucking awful, he smirks. Because he still has 363 days, and his strength is already climbing.

They eat in silence. Sometimes Trunks asks him a question and sometimes he supplies an answer. His son is strong, but Vegeta think he's holding back. It's probably not on purpose; the boy just has so many Earthling emotions he refuses to shake off.

"I'm training alone again tomorrow," Vegeta says. "In the evening before dinner, you and I will spar."

Trunks nods eagerly and it's fucking pathetic. But he's still better company than Kakarot or any of the other earthlings.

He masters the cold and can train without feeling it. He fights against the flames and they nearly consume him.

In the evenings, he battles his son and neither hold back. It's a flurry of fists and kicks and sometimes they wind up laying on the ground, panting, looking up and seeing nothing through the sweat and the blood clouding their vision.

.

Vegeta tosses his head back and screams. Each day his power level grows. After each beating he wakes stronger in the morning and presses on. He pushes his body to its limit and nearly collapses on his way to bed.

"You have to stop," Trunks shouts. He's sitting at the table, glaring at him.

"Hn."

"No. I know you want to ascend beyond super saiyan, and I do think it's possible. But... but you're never going to get there if you keep torturing yourself."

"I'm never going to get anywhere if I don't push myself. You weaklings and your notions of rest and tenderness. I am the most powerful fighter in the universe. I spent three years doing nothing but training, and I will not be bested by androids or Cell or any other fighter in this universe."

"You're wrong, father." Trunks' eyes blaze with fury and though he wants to, Vegeta can't look away. "You're going to plateau unless you don't start going easier on yourself."

"You know nothing of what makes a true warrior."

"Maybe not. But I can see what you're doing to yourself, and it isn't helping."

Trunks was wrong. It _was_ helping. He can feel it. With a frown, Vegeta presses on towards his bed, too tired for his meal.

.

A blast whirls by his head, and he watches it for a moment, catapulting into the unknown. He had to make the most of this time, because when his year was up, Kakarot would take his turn. And that bastard made a habit of being one step ahead.

Well, not this time.

Craning his neck, he smirks. Trunks manages a smile between pants and charges towards him.

.

Trunks eats in silence, and Vegeta finishes his meal and watches his son.

"You're taking this training seriously," he notes. And, somewhere, there's a compliment buried in that statement. Trunks nods.

"Of course. These androids have destroyed everything in my world. This timeline might be different, but if we all die before defeating Cell than none of this will matter. It might be worse." His brows narrow and silence engulfs the room. "You don't understand, father. They've killed everyone."

Vegeta glares down at his gloved palm, the burst of rage flitting through him once again. How had he managed to die at the hands of an android? It was laughable. In the other timeline, he's already dead. The mighty Saiyan Prince taken out, once again. He remembers lying on Namek, begging Kakarot of all people for vengeance. He never wants to be that fucking weak again. He isn't like these earthlings, who idiotically sacrifice themselves for the others. He likes Trunks, respects the boy, but his son isn't more important than his own life or his own strength.

"When you go back, they'll be no match for the warrior you've become."

A blush stains Trunks' cheeks. "I think you're right."

"You're far superior than when you defeated Frieza."

"Thank you father."

Vegeta shrugs. He hadn't meant it as flattery; he was just stating truths.

.

He's back in the flames. The harder he pushes, the more he can feel it, balancing precariously on the tipping point. Vegeta screams. His gloved fingers clench his scalp. It's gold and it's like the first time he ascended. Only now, he hasn't given up hope. He cares. In fact, he doesn't care about anything else.

It's like the first time, though. A scorching pulse of energy threatening to burn him from the inside out. Only now he knows how to control this power. But the pain of the elements surrounding him is a new distraction. A new challenge.

"Father!"

No. Not fucking now. Vegeta clenches his teeth and closes his eyes as another scream rips from his throat.

And then it breaks and he's panting and the flames surround him but he doesn't feel any of it. Violent energy surrounds him. Trunks has stopped shouting and is watching with awe. Vegeta glances at his outstretched arm and laughs.

.

"When I came to this time, I didn't know ascension beyond super saiyan was possible," Trunks says, his eyes leveling on the pile of empty dishes between them. "But if anyone was going to do it, I knew it would be you father."

Vegeta nods. Even at rest, he can feel the dormant power settled deep inside of him. And he knows that this was just the tip of possibility. There wasn't a limit to his power and he'd die exploring every last inch. He hadn't attained a form beyond super saiyan quite yet, but he'd scratched the surface of possibility.

"We only have three months left." Trunks sighs, a bit of regret, and Vegeta knows his son is trying to bond with him. This is his son, but - really - he isn't this boy's father. He can't be. It doesn't work like this.

But he likes this Trunks. He's strong and resourceful and not nearly as annoying as the other warriors who were raised on this planet.

Closing his eyes, Vegeta tries to remember the last time he'd trained with another. Since Nappa's death, he'd relished in his solitude. But, really, being alone was maddening. It's why he'd searched for Kakarot and why he'd sought Bulma out.

He'd come back to this place, this time chamber, and he'd train alone. Without the distractions he'd reteach himself that solitude was the only way to remove attachments, to rid himself of any potential weaknesses. He didn't need Bulma or their son. He didn't want training companions or...friends. It was laughable. Pathetic. He was a hardened warrior. Not some member of this ridiculous Earth squad.

.

He follows Trunks from the time chamber and back onto the platform of the Lookout. The gravity is the first noticeable change, shortly followed by the lack of humidity. Once again he's immersed in the cushy comforts of Earth.

His son starts talking, greeting the gathering of Earth's "greatest fights" and the boy nearly spills their secret.

"Quiet," Vegeta snaps. But Kakarot catches his eye and a small, private smile curves his lips.

"So. It worked out?"

Hn. Like he's going to grant that idiot a response. Instead, he turns and lets them all know that he won't be needing any of their help defeating cell or the androids. They'd just be getting in his way.

.

Bulma's there and she's fussing about their son as though Trunks were a... child.

And just as he opens his mouth to demand she stop, she looks up and her eyes long on him. And she's really looking at him in that unsettling way she does. Vegeta can't help but shift beneath the weight of that stare. Bulma frowns, cocks her head to one side, and asks about his hair.

Then they're all talking and laughing over Goku's hairstyle and his eye twitches from the sheer insanity of it all.

"I don't have time to listen to Kakarot's hair problems, but I sure wouldn't mind knowing why _you're_ here." Because there is no reason for her to be in the middle of this madness. Again.

"Hold on." She rolls her eyes and brushes him off and says, "I'll show you. You see, this fight with Cell is going to be tough, and I thought you guys could use some new combat suites. And if you stop being a jerk, Vegeta, maybe you can have one, too."

Tien refuses to wear her armor - saying that he refuses to wear the same suit as Vegeta - not after all of the horrible things he's done. And then he sends Vegeta a slated glare as though his words were meant to hurt him.

Ha. Vegeta laughs.

Kakarot grasps one of the suits Bulma's recreated, but Vegeta frowns. There's no need for Kakarot to wear one. There isn't any reason for any of theses weakling to change clothes because he's going to finish Cell on his own.

And he refuses Kakarot's help with instant transmission - because he doesn't fucking need it - and blasts off towards the battle on his own without thinking of any of the warriors he's left behind. Even Bulma, who blinked at his sudden departure. Vegeta snorts. She probably had some catty remark on the tip of her tongue the second he was out of earshot. She usually did.

.

Cell is hideous. It's unsettling that parts of himself were in _that_...

Trunks is there. And like hell Vegeta needs reinforcements.

.

Vegeta takes a good deal of pleasure knocking Cell around, but this isn't a challenge and he wants to really test this Cell.

"Now I'm going to show you what true power really is," he boasts. And there's something that resembles fear on the creature's face. He opens and clothes his mouth, reminding Vegeta of a fish. Or just an idiot.

"You've changed. You've become something... else."

Hn. He'd fulfilled his destiny and he wasn't going to squander it. No, he was going to savor every last second. Because Kakarot was getting hours of training to his seconds of fighting, and once the low-class fool exited the chamber, Vegeta knew there was a chance the idiot had ascended too.

Because even though Kakarot was bad at basically everything, the one thing that was in the idiot's favor was his constant ability to best his prince.

.

Cell is shaking. Visibly stricken, and the schadenfreude in Vegeta smirks. To further the other man's pain, Vegeta says,

"How would you feel if there was another like me? Allow me to introduce you to my son. His name is Trunks. He too is a true super saiyan." Unlike Kakarot. Unlike Kakarot's own son. "He has incredible power. Do you understand how fruitless this is? You never had a chance to win. If by some miracle you managed to get past me, Trunks would have finished you off."

Cell curses him, wanting to know how he suddenly got this powerful. And then, Cell resorts to begging.

"Allow me to achieve my final, perfect form. As a saiyan, you can appreciate the challenge."

"You sound like a child who is trying to get his way," he scoffs. And even though he wasn't a fucking idiot, Vegeta foud he is intrigued. He isn't a coward. And he _had_ come for a real fight. To truly test his abilities. And the Cell is tempting him, playing on his lust for a challenge. Cell mumbles that he knows nothing, and Vegeta shorts. "I couldn't help overhearing your annoying babbling. Yes. Funny. But I thought I heard you say that I'm a fool who doesn't know what real power is."

And when Cell calls him a nobody he kicks the shit out of him. He wasn't a nobody. But... perhaps... he did itch for a challenge.

And he _wasn't_ a coward.

"Frankly, this is a waste of my time. Do you honestly believe that you could challenge my power if I allowed you to absorb that other challenge."

Even though he knew the fool was goading him... Cell made some good points. And he _does_ need to test the depth of powers.

Training with Trunks had made him stronger. Better. And a small part of him questioned if he wasn't up for the challenge. However, if he weren't and he was too weak, than what was the point of living?

His son shouts at him, telling him he's wrong.

Vegeta yells back for Trunks to mind his own business, then tells Cell to go before he changes his mind.

Trunks stops Cell. Fucking inconsiderate brat. But in that moment his son looks stubborn, determined and invincible. Vegeta mightn't agreed with Trunks, but it certainly was difficult to dislike him.

.

What the fuck was taking so long? Vegeta shouts at them to hurry up. "I haven't got all day." How difficult was it to consume one android bitch?

And then, once again, Trunks swoops in to save the day - before Vegeta even gets a chance to prove himself - and, once again, he's forced to correct everyone else's foolishness himself.

Trunks is similar to himself in ways, but the boy doesn't take risks, doesn't seek out challenges. He's afraid Cell will become stronger than both of them and that blinds his saiyan sense of battle.

"Don't you want to see this power he's talking about?" Vegeta asks.

Trunk's brows narrow, his face sobering as desperate anger flashes in his eyes. He snaps in response, "No. I've lived through it my whole life."

Then he challenges his own father. Trunks has this bad habit of getting attached and thinks, because they're related, there's some sort of bond between them. Weak, Earth emotions. All Bulma's doing. He watches the way she coddles their infant. It's maddening.

Trunks might have the makings of a saiyan, but he's just like Kakarot. Weak. Soft. Attached. Tied to this fucking planet Vegeta hates so much.

And then Trunks blasts him to a distant sea.

And Vegeta's impressed. Slightly.

When he gets back, Trunks and Cell are fighting. The fucking solar flair takes away his sight for a moment, but when he opens them again, Cell is … different.

Finally.

Vegeta smirks.

Now he'll know. Finally he has the chance to prove he's the greatest saiyan that's ever lived. All these years, all these challenges and fights and... it's all lead up to this moment. Cell will be more of a challenge than Frieza. Who was taken out first by Kakarot, then his son.

The power shakes the planet, and Vegeta feels Cell's energy in his bones.

He watches as Krillin and his son take on Cell, and Cell just stands there and takes it like it's nothing.

And so Vegeta challenges Cell himself.

.

Cell is … faster than he expected. Though nothing he can't handle.

With ease, Cell dodges his attacks.

Vegeta puts all his energy in a kick to neck and... nothing. Cell is unphased. A laugh. A smile. It's... it's... impossible.

No. No fucking way. _He's_ the strongest fighter in the universe. It wasn't possible that he could get beat. Not now.

Finally he manages to gain the upperhand with a Final Flash technique. Even Cell is surprised that he manages to hit him. The bastard stands, clearly shocked, his body is badly maimed, missing nearly a third of its mass.

Vegeta laughs.

"You're a fool," Cell says, and the saiyan stops laughing.. "Have you already forgotten that Piccolo's regenerative cells are a part of me?" And with that, his right arm and torso are back.

And he's in perfect condition.

Fucking _impossible_.

Vegeta gives it his all, everything he has and more energy than he has to spare, but he knows it's all for not.

He's done. And by a fucking creation. It's maddening. All the pride of the Saiyan Prince. Of the ascended, legendary super saiyan...

Cell crushes his spine and slams him to the ground. Vegeta hits the earth face-first.

.

When Vegeta awakens, it isn't the splitting headache or bruised back that he notices first. Nor is it the fact that someone's tapping his face or that he's far from the battlefield. Instead, all he feel is the bitter pang of defeat.

Krillin's voice rings out against the blinding numbness. "Vegeta, take this. It's a senzu bean."

And he chews and swallows and pushes himself into a sitting position. "Cell," he growls between clenched teeth.

And then he feels out his son's energy. Trunks. He's... ascended beyond a super saiyan. He's... stronger than himself. Impossible. Trunks had never shown this power when they'd spared in the time chamber. Unless Trunks had held himself back. Purposefully.

Krillin echos the obvious, and Vegeta shrugs it off. If Trunks is too weak to defeat Cell, then it's up to him once again. Krillin's shouting something about him being hurt, but Vegeta doesn't have time for this shit. So he takes off towards the battle.

.

Cell had given them ten days to prepare, and so Vegeta reenters the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Alone this time.

It was far more difficult the second time, without his son's company. It bruised a part of him, feeling the nagging weakness of solitude. He, who'd once heartlessly slain Nappa was somehow feeling lost without a soft, talkative half-human to keep him company.

But more maddening than this revelation was how, one year later, little power he'd gained.

.

Vegeta fights the urge to drive his fingers through his eyes as the idiot human continues to spew nonsense at the top of his irritating voice. He tries to ignore him like he usually avoids such annoyances, but he can't block it out.

Hercule. Posturing and posing. It almost reminds him of the Ginyu Force... if the Ginyu Force had been powerless. He hates this fucking planet.

.

One minute he'd been hating this place, wondering if he should fight Cell and slip away forever, and the next Trunks - his son from the future timeline - is on the ground. Not moving. Not even the slightest rising of his chest.

His own chest aches, and blind of anything apart from Super Perfect Cell, Vegeta attacks. Unfeeling of his own exhaustion, he attacks in a fit of rage. Anger. Revenge. And grief.

Even he's a bit shocked at the last emotion. With an incredible volley of ki blasts, he pants and presses on. Once, he thought he'd lost everything. His parents. His people. And, yes, things tied to his vanity like his status and throne. Kakarot had taken his birthright. Trunks had slain Frieza. But for the first time, he understands what it is to lose everything.

And when the smoke clears, and his every nerve ending buzzes with pain, Cell stands unharmed. Vegeta rolls back his shoulders and attempts to do it again. And again. Until one of them dies because it doesn't fucking matter that Cell has the upperhand, he isn't giving up until this is over.

Cell wallops him, and for the briefest of moments he's knocked out. When he regains consciousness and pushes himself off the ground, he sees someone has stood up for him. Has cut off Cell's path to his certain demise, and the little bastard protecting him is Kakarot's son.

Gohan.

.

Gohan lost his arm. His son lost his life.

And it's all his fucking fault.

Because he wanted a challenge. Because he wanted to prove, once and for all, that he wasn't weak.

But never had he felt weaker, more helpless, laying there.

And when he opens his mouth, he isn't sure what will come out. He's not surprised to find that it's an apology.

.

Vegeta distracts Cell, because suddenly he's a secondary character in this battle, and Gohan's Kamehameha - Vegeta hates that fucking attack - is the decisive move. It's over. Cell is gone. And this planet that he once hated is safe. Again.

He wonders what would've happened had Kakarot carried out his plan. His gaze shifts to Trunks and he thinks of Bulma and he wants to punch Kakarot's face in. Even though a small part of him recognizes that it's a ridiculous urge.

It's still an urge and he amuses himself with the thought of it.

But Kakarot's gone; dead with that stupid grin on his face, and Vegeta stares at his hands with a wrinkle on his brow and a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.

.

"I was worried sick about you."

He sighs at her words. Turning slightly, he sees her standing in the doorway. She looks pissed. And relieved. And all he can do is shrug.

She lets him go into his room and she doesn't follow him. She just lets him be alone and he'd thank her, but he doesn't.

In the middle of the night, he'd awoken from his dream.

Kakarot was taunting him, even in his afterlife.

With a heavy exhale through his nose, Vegeta frowns at the ceiling. As though the splotchy white paint could provide him with some answers.

.

He pauses in the hallway. There are too many familiar energies gathered in the kitchen, and his brows narrow as the white noise of their hushed words becomes clear. Krillin. Tien. Yamcha. They're talking to Bulma. About him. Explaining how he's changed. How he saved Gohan and helped Kakarot and went into a fit of rage after he thought his son was gone.

They're all idiots.

He hasn't changed.

He isn't weak. He's much stronger than he was before. He bites his tongue.

.

He's always hated this fucking planet. But there's no reason to fight now and he isn't sure if there's a reason to live. But he... cares about them. For some reason he's grown attached to Bulma and his child and he doesn't leave, even though a part of him knows he'll never be happy here.

Though he wasn't happy anywhere, so what the hell?

.

Trunks is crying.

Vegeta rolls over in bed and sits on its edge. Bulma's hand reaches out to the empty space where he'd once lain. Her pale hand feels around, searching for his warmth, and he watches her with a frowns.

Trunks stops crying. Vegeta stares at her outstretched arm a moment longer before he lays back down.

.

Trunks hobbles across the grass and Bulma grins and coos like it's some great accomplishment. The toddler stumbles and face plants, and suddenly there are tears and he's screaming. Vegeta grunts.

"Oh there you go, big boy," Bulma says, assisting her son to his feet and wiping the dirt from his fat knees. "You're okay. See? You're a tough little guy!"

Trunks blinks and stares at her impassively.

"Let him get himself up, Bulma."

"Huh?" She turns towards Vegeta and rolls her eyes. "Oh. Okay, Father of the Year. Let's give your parenting a try."

But she does take a step back and watch as Trunks continues the short trek across the lawn. He falls, twice. And though Bulma lurches forward, she doesn't kneel by his side. She holds her hands against her chest and watches as Trunks makes it to the small green doll. Apparently the source of his struggle across the lawn. Upon closer inspection, Vegeta realizes it's a replica of Piccolo.

He fights the urge to destroy it. Two weeks later he catches sight of a Kakarot plushie and he blasts it. If he finds one of himself, he's going to kill Bulma.

.

Kakarot's mate is pregnant. She's having a boy.

Bulma congratulates the other woman and smiles at her stomach. Vegeta watches from his place against the wall as Bulma helps the dark haired woman out. His son will be stronger, better, superior to Kakarot's in every way.

He smirks.

When she reenters the room, Bulma catches his expression and rolls her eyes. "Oh stop. I can practically read your mind, Vegeta."

.

Trunks is able to walk without falling over every two fucking seconds, and Vegeta watches him. His son is strong. By now, he should be able to purge a planet. Instead, Vegeta decides to teach him to fly.

.

After training his son all day, Vegeta escapes to a desolate island to blow shit up.

He has to release his ki or he'll go crazy, but he doesn't kill a single earthling. He's a shadow of his former self. But he's stopped beating himself over it, because it doesn't fucking matter anymore.

He enters their room and Bulma looks at him from her place on the bed. There's a book in her lap and a glass of wine in her hand. "You're back."

He peels off his boots. He needed a shower. Badly.

"You were gone for twelve hours. Thanks for the heads up."

He glances up and finds her smiling at him. He shakes his head and removes his gloves, tossing them in the white laundry bin she keeps by the door.

"Of course I picked a guy who forgets I have feelings..." She's discarded her book and beverage,and feigns a thoughtful expression. "Or maybe I'm just a masochist."

"Hm. Maybe," he agrees. And with a predatory smirk, he moves towards the bed. "Perhaps we should check."

In a movement too quick for her pathetic senses, he's on top of her. One of his large, work roughened hands encloses both of her wrists, holding it above her head. Just out of reach. It doesn't hurt, exactly, but Bulma wiggles in discomfort.

Dipping his head, he scrapes his teeth down her neck. From her pulse to her collar bone and back again. Bulma giggles beneath him, and when he pulls away she bucks her hips against him.

Her eyes shine with pleasure, with lust, and with... trust.

He tightens his grip on her arm and she closes her eyes. Good. He doesn't like just looking at her and knowing things. He can read fear off his enemies, but anything else - everything Bulma gave him, because she never showed him her fear - was new. Different.

And even if he didn't like it, he was learning.

.

Trunks is getting strong. And he grows every fucking day.

And Vegeta's... proud. He knows his own father was proud of his strength. Vegeta doesn't want his son to go through what he did under Frieza. Wiping out planets, having nothing safe or solid or sure. He might not hate this planet. He doesn't like it, but there are worse places out there.

Bulma's reading her son a story about a knight who becomes a prince. He pauses at Trunks' doorway, catching a glimpse at his woman and their child, sitting in a chair. "Da," the boy gurgles. Trunks' hand reaches out and slaps a page; Bulma laughs.

"That's right. He's a prince. Just like your daddy. Just like you."

And then she kisses the top of his lavender head and Vegeta glances down at his gloved palm. His fingers stretch outwards before compressing back into a fist. His chest aches. Or maybe that it isn't pain. He isn't sure.

.

Trunks isn't a baby anymore. He's a little boy and he gets into everything and constantly annoys the shit out of him. But he's a strong, cocky little bastard.

Vegeta finds himself amused on more than one occasion, because this is what his life has been reduced to.

And at least Trunks is nothing like Gohan.

Kakarot's oldest son has turned into a fucking joke. Even Trunks watches the grinning teen with wary eyes.

It's all Bulma's doing. Encouraging him to be a superhero. Tapping his shoulder with a grin, she accuses him of having a crush. Gohan blushes.

And _The Great Saiyaman_?

Vegeta holds back a lecture on the prestigious lineage of the saiyan people; no one else cares any more and he's practically a fucking earthling anyway.

.

Trunks is a super saiyan.

A fucking _super saiyan_.

All the blood and sweat he put into it, and his child... just... just...

Vegeta pounds in a bot. Bulma's going to screech at him for it later but he doesn't fucking care.

.

He promised the brat he'd take him to the park, and so here he was.

Trunks jumps to the top of the slide. He swings across the monkeybars, does two backflips and lands in a crouch.

The cluster of stroller toting mothers shuffle further from him. Some usher their children away from the playground equipment.

Trunks takes off running, soars through the air and grabs ahold of a metal pole. It snaps in half.

A woman drops her soda all over her flowery dress and stares, wide eyed as Trunks puts an arm behind his head. The boy shouts an apology in his direction, and Vegeta crosses his arms.

Fucking Earth. He shouldn't have ever come after Raditz.

.

There are too many posturing imbeciles gathered at the tournament. None of them pose a challenge to Krillin, nevermind himself.

Kakarot and Co. want him to take it easy, but he can't help himself. He punches the metal contraption and it folds quicker than one of Bulma's bots.

The only reason he's putting up with this is because Kakarot has one day back and he's been gifted the chance of a beating seven years in the making

Just when they're scheduled to fight, Kakarot decides to run off and save the world.

Again.

But he'd rather follow Kakarot and Gohan and Supreme Kai than stay here and fight earthlings with no ki. So he goes.

.

Rock - Paper - Scissors

Ha! Victory!

Vegeta squares off against his opponent. It's not the fight he wants, of course. Kakarot stands back, eager to watch his fellow saiyan fight again. And even though it's an easy win, this match is more exciting than what's waiting at the tournament.

He watches Kakarot fight, catching a glimpse of the dead warrior's strength. Speechless, he senses the saiyan's energy and understands that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Just a fraction of what Kakarot can do.

And it's maddening.

Kakarot's been dead and even still he's managed to snag the upper hand.

Vegeta inhales and his fists clench at his sides.

When the fight is over, he takes his frustration out on Kakarot. The other saiyan holds his ground, but Vegeta's anger only boils and he raises his voice another decibel.

And then it hits him. Like a pulse of electric shock. Pain. White hot, scorching pain. Everywhere. In his head, his chest, crushing every inch of flesh and pinching every last nerve ending.

His hands grasp his hair; he bends forward and roars. The ship shakes with the sounds of his deep bellow. Something is attacking him. Something invisible and it's something... something from the inside.

With sudden clarity, he understands. He's weak. He can't recall exactly when it happened because it was slow, gradual - like a parasite slowly taking over - and somewhere he's made a mistake and lost himself in the process. Now he has a fucking family and he lost who he was. Who he is. And he just wants to be stronger.

_They_ can make him stronger. He's seen proof of it first hand. Though they're wrong if they think he's mentally weak enough to be taken over. So he'll harness the power and beat the shit out of Kakarot once and for all.

When the pain subsides and a new, thrumming power pulses through his veins, Vegeta smirks as Kakarot looks on in horror.

They command he destroy Kakarot, Gohan and the Supreme Kai.

He chuckles. He's only interested in fighting one.

.

The crowds of the World Martial Arts Tournament settles around him. Finally in his arena of choice, Vegeta extends one arm and demands Kakarot attack him. But the fool's never made their feud a rivalry and it seems the imbecile needs some... persuading.

Moving his arm to one side, he forms a small energy blast and releases it into the crowd.

And he doesn't even fucking care that he's just killed some pesky, faceless earthlings. Or that Bulma's probably cursing his name and his son is probably confused. Because Kakarot's all that matters. The rest just filled the space when he was weak and bored.

They're in a secluded area - Kakarot's doing - and they're going to settle this saiyan quarrel once and for all.

"Vegeta! You're stronger than this!"

Of course he was. "You think he's controlling me?" he asks, scoffing at the other man's accusation. Once he'd been cold and ruthless, unencumbered by foolish emotion. And now, he embraced that lost part of him.

And the best part was that the assistance of this new power lent him a strength like never before. He'd be content spending every last second of Kakarot's day exchanging blows.

Kakarot halts their battle and expects to split the last senzu bean.

Hn.

Vegeta knocks the fool out and finishes the bean.

.

It isn't the first time during a fight Vegeta's foreseen his own defeat.

Only this time, it's different.

This time, he thinks of Bulma and Trunks and this planet he's dwelled on for far too long. Of Kakarot and his idiot family. Of Bulma's parents who took him in when he was still very much a homicidal bastard.

And then Trunks is there, trying to save him. It's a moment of weakness - or strength, he won't live long enough to decide anyway - and of clarity, and he knows there can only be one possible end for this battle.

He hugs his son farwell, and even though it's only so he can knock him out, it's bittersweet - holding the boy close, saying goodbye. He can barely remember himself at that age, but Trunks is so different. His life far better.

Goten is yelling at him, and he knocks him out without any of the fanfair.

As he powers up and prepares to meet his end, Vegeta glances at the Earth, his energy and the sweat skewing his vision. "Trunks, Bulma... I do this for you. And yes, even for you, Kakarot."

At first, he feels only heat. And then there's pain. And, finally, there's nothing.

.

Apparently his move hadn't worked. And apparently Kakarot hadn't been able to swoop in at the last minute and destroy Buu in his wake. So King Yemma came groveling to him.

He smirks and shakes his head and mutters,

"Back to Earth then. So be it."

.

Vegeta is back from hell, and fighting is - once again - all that matters.

"I don't know if you'll believe this, but boy am I glad to see you Vegeta," Kakarot proclaims, complete with a sigh of relief and a shit-eating grin. "I have a plan, and with your help I know I can make it work."

It still sickens Vegeta - the very idea of working with Kakarot - but that was why he was back, after all. And he was dead anyway.

And then Kakarot explains his plan. He wants Vegeta to put on an earring. To fuse with him.

Vegeta sneers. He'd rather lose his body than be fused with Kakarot.

"Out of my way," Vegeta commands, brushing off Kakarot's ridiculous request. He spots Buu and attempts to blast him, but Buus' strength is unbelievable.

Another volley of attacks and... Nothing.

Buu brushes them off. Each and every one; in the end he stands there like nothing had happened. Like Vegeta's nothing more than a pesky insect.

"Don't help me, Kakarot." He didn't want that fucker touching him. Kakarot, who'd humiliated him in his last seconds of life. Who'd hidden his true power as though Vegeta was nothing more than a selfish child who needed sheltering.

And then Kakarot opens his mouth and he thinks Vegeta _cares_ about the fate of this planet. Which he doesn't.

"He's killed everyone we care about. Everyone is gone," Kakarot exclaims. His voice desperate, pleading. "Even Bulma."

No. His fists compress and quiver at his side. It wasn't possible. Bulma. Gone. It didn't feel possibile. He searched desperately for her energy as his entire form shook. _No_. Not Bulma. Buu. Fucking Buu.

"We've lost our old race, Vegeta." Kakarot's voice is still pleading. "Let's not lose this one too."

_Buu_. He'd kill him.

And if this fusion was enough...

It would have to be. There weren't any other options. He was dead anyway. And Bulma...

"Give me the fucking earring," he demands. A second later Kakarot tosses it to him.

Kakarot's lips flex to a sheepish grin. "And one more thing, once we join our bodies, we'll be stuck in that form for ever."

"Uh. Imbecile." He fumbles to get the earring in. "You tell me now? Don't you think that's important information?" And even though it was, Vegeta finds himself putting aside his own life for those he cared about. Twice in the same fucking day.

The earring is in and it's done and he and he's there to avenge his family's death and murder Buu and he can figure out the inconveniences later.

.

Kakarot in his fucking head. Like this. Forever.

He's already dead, so he can't think of anything worse.

.

Thankfully being absorbed by Buu was enough to separate the fusion.

And the second they're apart, Vegeta crushes the earring to dust. He'd tried taking the heroic route, but nothing is worse than being fused with Kakarot forever.

.

Perhaps the strangest thing to happen that day - and a _lot _of strange things had happened thus far - was he found himself and Kakarot... working together. And it was far different than their alliance on Namek, and different even from their spat with the androids and Cell.

.

Vegeta finally saves the fucking day, grabbing the pod and causing the Super Buu thought-form to dissolve. At the last minute he and Goku escape, taking their sons and Piccolo with them.

They land on solid ground and he sucks in a lungful of fresh, Earth air.

He looks at the unconscious boy in his arms. A scrap of lavender hair falls across his pale forehead as Vegeta lays him down.

"They did well to stay alive."

He thinks of his son from the future timeline, of the boy he spent over a year with and didn't really get to know. Vegeta was dead and now he'd lost the chance to get to know his son in this timeline as well.

It's a frantic scramble to get away from Buu and his attempt to destroy Earth with his energy attack. Everything's bathed in blinding, white lights. He and Kakarot together hadn't been enough to stop Buu, so now all there was left to do was run.

Kakarot picks up the Namekian, winner of the Most Annoying Earthling Ever title and the dog. Of course, there was simply no time to save Trunks, Gohan, Goten, or Piccolo.

Kibito had come in at the last second and transported them away from the destruction of Earth. And their sons and Piccolo were gone. Just like that.

Vegeta's furious.

How could Kakarot be so dense? Was he really so foolish that he thought a couple strangers' lives were more valuable than their sons'?

He stands on the distant Kai planet, catching his breath and getting lost in his thoughts. Now he'd let both Bulma and Trunks die.

And they couldn't be wished back. The Earth was gone, and along with it the dragon balls.

He shoots Kakarot a few choice words regarding his incompetence, but Kakarot only offers a vague apology and support for those lives he did manage to save.

.

They call Buu a killing machine who feels no remorse.

Funny. That had been him, once.

.

Just when Vegeta is sure he's the only one capable of coming up with ideas, Dende mentions the namekian dragon balls, and using them to wish back the Earth and those killed.

He knew that planet wasn't worthless.

And just as he's celebrating the possibilities, he overhears Kakarot discussing sharing nude photos of a woman to the older Kai as some sort of payment. His brows narrow.

"You wouldn't by any chance happen to be talking about Bulma?" he asks, and there's a shadow of a threat in his tone. Kakarot plays it off like an innocent fool and even goes so far to say it's a compliment.

And even though there are a billion more pressing matters to attend to, he lashes out at Kakarot for his senselessness.

If he hadn't hated the idiot before, he certainly did now. And even though Kakarot failed to save his son and was promising to pass photos of his wife around, the feeling of hate didn't carry the same sting that it once had.

Because, really, he wasn't even sure it was true.

.

Through the crystal ball, they watch as Buu goes from planet to planet, leaving a cloud of debris in his search for them.

Kakarot gasps and Vegeta sighs.

"We can lure him here."

Kakarot blinks. "Bu-but how?"

With a smirk, Vegeta begins to power up. A swift nod, and then Kakarot is joining him.

And the irony that he'll probably die, twice, trying to protect the planet he'd wanted to destroy so badly is not lost on himself.

.

Kakarot wins the next battle of Rock-Paper-Scissors, and Vegeta strolls off with a smirk. His arms crossed he says,

"Yeah. You won. But there's a good chance I'll still get a chance to fight." And Kakarot even laughs. As though it were only easy banter between friends.

And maybe they are. When Kakarot's energy plummets, Vegeta steps in to give the other man time to catch his breath. Even as Buu thrashes Vegeta. But every time he gets knocked down, Vegeta gets up, ready for more.

And just in the nick of time, Kakarot swoops in. Reenergized and ready to fight. Vegeta pants and watches him on the sidelines and puts all his faith in his fellow saiyan.

.

Since he's always the brains of the operation when working with these earthlings, Vegeta devises a plan.

"The dragon balls," he commands.

And then he tells Dende and the Kai - because he's a member of the fucking team now - what to wish for.

The restoration of Earth and the revival of everyone who has died since the morning of the Martial Arts Tournament not in possession of an evil heart. He doesn't even give a shit about the third wish. Years ago he'd come here to become immortal, and that seemed so fucking long ago...

"Ah!" Kakarot exclaimes. "You're halo! It's gone."

And that throws even Vegeta for a loop. Because being wished back hadn't been a part of his plan.

"And guess what else? The evil people weren't wished back. The verdict's in. You're a good guy!"

.

Part two of his plan is slightly more complicated. Especially with the numbskulls he's working with.

"Now. Let's do it. It's time."

Kakarot blinks. "Time for what?"

"The Spirit Bomb."

"Uh." The color drains from his face and Kakarot's twiddling his thumbs, clearly unconvinced. "That's your big idea? A spirit bomb?"

Hn. Idiot. "It'll be enough."

It takes all his effort to politely ask the people of Earth to comply. Or _somewhat_ nicely ask them. Apparently he wasn't evil by universal standards any longer, but he still wasn't a very polite guy. But he _did_ offer them a chance to be a warrior race. And he _had_ said please. Thankfully The Most Annoying Earthling Ever is there to convince the brainless humans to lend their energy.

.

It wasn't very pleasant, having the shit kicked out of you.

Though, finally, after enough distraction Kakarot launches the Spirit Bomb.

And perhaps in the end Kakaort was physically stronger than he, but Vegeta would always best the other saiyan with the more strategic mind. Not that being smarter than Kakarot was anything to boast about... But he indulges himself with thoughts of his superiority for another few moments.

He wants to kill the fat Buu, but Kakarot insists the bastard gets a second chance.

They haven't learned anything, apparently. Vegeta was still a fan of killing one's enemy when given the chance, but perhaps Kakarot was onto something with these second chances. Tired and beat and ready to go back to Earth, Vegeta looks up and the ragtag group he'd somehow become a part of.

"I don't know about you guys," Kakarot says, "but I'm starving!"

.

After the reunion on The Lookout, he returns to Capsule Cooperation with Bulma and a sleeping Trunks. When the boy's put to bed, Bulma turns and levels him with her gaze.

For a long moment, she's silent. When she speaks, all she manages is, "You killed them." He knows she's referring to those earthlings at the tournament. She thought he was different. Well, he was.

"And I made sure they were all wished back. What more do you want from me Bulma?"

"Don't die on me again," she tells him and she's _crying_. She shouldn't be crying. This is… She buries her head in his chest and he stares down at her. When she looks up, a small smile spreads across her features and his mood involuntarily lifts with it. "I'm glad you're home."

Home. Hn.

.

When he gets out of the shower there are a million questions buzzing in his head. Like his camaraderie on the battlefield with Kakarot. And his sacrifice for those he's grown attached to. And that hollow feeling he'd experienced when Kakarot told him Bulma was dead. And how he'd been wished back with those who didn't have evil hearts.

But, mostly, he was trapped in the strange paradox where he still felt superior to everyone but he never quite felt good enough. Strong enough.

He towels off his hair, deep in his thoughts. And he wasn't being selfish but -

"Well?" Bulma asks, standing in the doorway and not bothering with any pesky things like clothing. "I feels like it's been forever."

No, maybe it is just him being selfish after all. But he manages a laugh. "I'm a bit tired."

She winks. "Relax. You had a big day. I'll do all the work."

His hands settle on the curves of her hips, his eyes not settling on any one part of her for very long. "Tch. Vulgar woman."

Bulma raises a brow. "Like you'd have me any other way?"

.

The more time he spends on Earth the less time he reflects on how complacent he's grown.

He wasn't settled, exactly, but he found himself somewhat comfortable. Lots of crossing his arms and standing off to one side at parties, but he still managed to be there.

He seeks out Bulma's energy, his stomach rumbling. Following her to the bedroom adjacent to their own, he finds her standing before a closet organizing tiny, pink clothing. From her profile he can make out her swollen stomach.

Vegeta shakes his head.

She was the strongest woman on this planet. So much like himself. Stubborn. Bitter. Hotheaded. She'd wanted adventure, a change of pace and she'd gotten it on her own. She never asked for anything, never expected anything of him. He'd never planned on settling down, and yet he found himself here with no intention of going anywhere else.

He tries to remember the first them he'd seen her. It was on Namek. She'd been wearing yellow. She'd been... terrified of him. It was so long ago.

"Hey," she says, turning towards him and resting a hand on her stomach. "She's much calmer than Trunks was, that's for sure."

He grins. Trunks was born into a chaotic world of impending doom, of death and destruction. His daughter was going to be raised on Earth in a time of peace.

"And her mother? I'm assuming she's as much of a bitch as last time."

Bulma turns back to sorting baby clothes, that haughty little nose scrunching as she replies, "Now she is."

Once behind her, he slides his arms into place around her. "Is that so?"

"Mm," was all the reply she gave. And Vegeta smirks against her hair.

.

Years later, it was time for another reunion at the World Martial Arts Tournament.

And because Kakarot's always put the good of the planet before his own family, he's leaving. Again. Vegeta frowns.

"Hey, Vegeta!" the saiyan begins. "Sorry to disappoint you. I was really looking forward to one more bout with the prince of all saiyans."

They'd had an occasional spar, but nothing like the fight Vegeta had been promised five years earlier. "Hn. Don't worry about it. We couldn't play. Not here. When we fight, we'll need a whole planet for an arena."

"You're too much." Kakarot laughs, lifting one hand in a wave. "Bye, my friend!

And Vegeta stands and watches Kakarot leaves, and he feels his energy slipping away, trying to remember why he felt the desperate need to best the other man. He'd grown old, tired, and he can't think of a single fucking reason to go after him. So he stays.

.

"I can't believe Goku's really gone."

"Hn. He says he'll visit."

"Oh, you know Goku. He'll lose track of time and it'll be another five years before Chichi sees him." Bulma rolls her eyes and removed a diamond stud from her ear. "He really frustrates me sometimes. I mean, he needs to grow up already." And then she flashes her cheeky smile at him and continues, "For all your shortcomings, at least you're reliable Vegeta."

Reliable? Was that what he was?

Bulma flashes him another smile, showing off both rows of her shiny, white teeth. Vegeta watches her, still unsure of how he'd found himself 'd never paid for any of his sins. And he was bound for a third trip to hell. Because he was a unfeeling bastard who'd done far too much for any one Kai to forgive. Bulma leans against his shoulder and sighs. Even still, he tenses a bit, but nothing like he once had. If he was an unfeeling bastard, Bulma was... well, she was something.

And no matter how many times he went back and thought about it, there was always the same conclusion: He wasn't supposed to be here. And they were never supposed to be together. But they were and somehow, in the end, that made the rest okay.


End file.
